Pretty much the same way when I am not paying attention as a passenger in a car and then feel compelled to “air brake” because I was surprised by the car in front… even though the driver saw the braking at least a few seconds before I did.
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I wasn’t surprised at all to hear GM was on “the list”. People have been talking about it for years & once SS was up & running… some of the first comments were “ wonder when GM will get called out”.
About 6 yrs ago, my then 13 yr old son had the opportunity to attend a clinic with GM. ( he never ended up doing the clinic). At the time we were new to horses & I mentioned my excitement about my son possibly doing the clinic. TWO different people told me “ be careful… George likes young boys & your fits the description of what he likes, tall, thin, cute & perfect age.” I was disappointed, disgusted & Disillusioned . I believed the “ rumors “ and continued to hear the same whispers from other people over the years. It was no secret.
People like to associate with “ famous “ or well known people. Much of the horse world is a social network. Kinda like a high school social ranking . GM was one of the “ popular kids”. To know him, work with him, hang out with him & associate With him.... makes those in the horse world feel they are in the “ popular group... the upper level group”. They are trying to support him, because they don’t want to admit that their upper level circle of friends was tainted. It looks bad on them also. To clear his name clears their Conscience.
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there is now an I STAND WITH GEORGE facebook group I was invited to. Do people operate with blinders on?
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@TooMany Bays
I am surprised he [Tom Novarro] still runs a massive boarding barn and teaches children.
He doesn’t go to USEF - rated shows, only at the local level. The kids who ride there are all or mostly at the local level. I’d be surprised if the parents involved had ever heard of SafeSport or knew of the ban. (Why would you take your child there if you had?)
But that’s kind of the point of all the “ruin their life” discussion. The ban only affects USEF-affiliated shows, nothing else. It’s still business as usual for him.
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Let them have their group. Who are you to judge? Just because YOU and some others think he’s guilty, doesn’t mean he is guilty. He has supporters and that’s ok. Maybe they need support of each other due to the shocking nature of the suspension.
I’m in the middle. I want due process and if he’s guilty then he is and I’ll be disappointed in him. If he’s guilty then he shouldn’t be anywhere near minors and register as a sex offender.
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SO much of horse showing at the tippy top levels - particularly in subjectively judged disciplines - is not really about “sport” at all. It’s about money, power, status, connections, lifestyle. I tend to think it’s those things that the folks who are rallying around GHM are trying to preserve - whether they are willing to admit that or not.
And as far as his career, GHM is over 80 years old. He has been in a position for a long time to pick and choose and only do what he wants to do. Current events may affect his epitaph, but his career is really and truly mostly over already.
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No, why would I subject myself to that lol I am not even American, although I do follow things somewhat.
Sorry everyone, will continue to scroll and roll 
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The farm just held a summer camp. And he has successfully gotten his name removed from the sex offender registry… so all the parents have is his name on a Safe Sport list.
Side note… does anyone know if the farm still participated in the IEA program? Given that his lifetime ban is no longer “pending appeal”… I’m curious. If they aren’t doing IEA shows anymore… one wonders what they told the kids and parents who were part of the team… “Sorry kids. Can’t go to those shows anymore because your coach was banned for life by Safe Sport.”
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You do realize there already has been an investigation, it’s been going on for 18 months, and he has been found guilty. Yes… he can appeal. It goes through arbitration.
If if he loses his appeal… are you still going to be unsure about whether or not he got due process?
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I’m trying to wrap my mind around the “due process” argument. I’m asking in good faith - @rollingabout what do you believe due process means in the context of a non-legal proceeding?
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I’m having trouble understanding why people just assume there was no investigation? It’s like one person said that on Facebook and now it is the biggest SS myth alive.
When you see someone arrested in the news you don’t go - “well I did’nt know there was an investigation going on, and I don’t know the details of the evidence so how dare you arrest this man!”
People should think of the ban like getting arrested and charged. The ground work has been done in the background, and now they have enough evidence to hold you and keep the public safe.
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This is a great point. Then the respondent has the opportunity to either admit to the wrongdoing and accept the sanctions (i.e., “plead guilty”) or appeal and go through arbitration (i.e., “plead innocent” and have your chance to argue your case).
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Sadly, I highly doubt it. The details will be meaningless because the victims will still be “liars” who are only out for attention and/or revenge :no:
That seems to be how it goes; first it’s, “Couldn’t be!” Then it’s, “They’re lying!” Then it’s, “If there is so much proof, show us the details!” Then, if shown details or proof, it’s back to, “They’re lying!”
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I think maybe people think anything that doesn’t involve police or criminal law enforcement is not an “investigation?”
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Except we’re actually already past that. We’ve had the first verdict and now we’re at the part where if this were a criminal proceeding he’d be sentenced and in jail with the ability to file an appeal.
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I would like to thank the many articulate people who have posted so patiently on this thread, to explain that GM et al are already “found guilty” and that the whole SS process does not work on a whim.
I wish I had not first read so many comments from the deniers on FB, because I was beginning to doubt my own sanity!
I am in the UK, where most of us are still coming to terms with how we all got it so wrong with certain high profile sexual predators of the 80s and 90s . Before Jimmy Savile, it was the norm to think people had to be immune from bad deeds if they were famous or super-talented at their line of work. When the first accusers came forward, no-one wanted to believe it. But by the time 1000s had found the courage, the scales fell from our eyes - Savile and his ilk had deliberately insinuated themselves into a position of fame precisely because it provided a the ideal “cover” for their depravity.
Savile had so much power at the BBC he could have a prime time chat show on Friday nights, anything he wanted. But no, he opted for a tea-time slot, when he, a 50-something man, snuggled up to little kids and openly frolicked with them on bean bags. That show was called Jim’ll Fix It - he certainly did, for himself…
Savile was a friend of the royal family, tireless fund-raiser for charity, and volunteered as a hospital porter 1 day a week - putting him in close touch with especially vulnerable people. In due course, other TV celebs toppled in his wake and we discovered how they too had contrived their own career paths in children’s TV, to gain access to the vulnerable.
I cannot help myself, but now wonder quite now many of the the USEF list consciously set out to reach the top of the equestrian coaching profession, not because they love working with horses but because of the unfettered access it provides to potential victims?
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In other news from Facebook… The Horse Magazine and CH have reacted 
I understand being upset about news involving someone who is a personal friend… but I am surprised. I have read much of what CH has written, and obviously do not share his perspective on this issue.
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I was just curious if anyone had heard anything about who GM’s attorney is? Was curious if it was BN, since she seems to be the go to person in these cases.
Yeah I kind of have been thinking that all the people freaking about how this will destroy his career are a bit dramatic, it pretty much is over, or close to it. All of his major accomplishments are behind him.
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